cursing Hear it!

Variant of curse

curse Definition

curse (kʉrs)

noun

  1. a calling on God or the gods to send evil or injury down on some person or thing
  2. a profane, obscene, or blasphemous oath, imprecation, etc. expressing hatred, anger, vexation, etc.
  3. evil or injury that seems to come in answer to a curse
  4. any cause of evil or injury

Etymology: ME & Late OE n. curs, v. cursian: prob. < L cursus (see course), used of the course of daily liturgical prayers and of the set of imprecations in the formal recital of offenses entailing excommunication; hence, consignment to an evil fate

transitive verb cursed, curst, cursing curs′·ing

  1. to call evil or injury down on; damn
  2. to swear at; use profane, blasphemous, or obscene language against
  3. to bring evil or injury on; afflict

intransitive verb

to utter a curse or curses; swear; blaspheme
curse Idioms

be cursed with

to be afflicted with; suffer from

the curse

Slang menstruation, or a menstrual period
cursing Usage Examples

Modifying Another Word

  • silently: I rushed out of the door silently cursing the bell that marked everyone's arrival or departure.
  • loudly: First the person in front of me left the ATM cursing loudly.

cursing Quotes

Soon I was alone and began cursing the bloody bible because there were no titles in itöalthough I found the source of practically every good title you ever heard of. But the boys, principally Kipling, had been there before me and swiped all the good ones so I called the book Men Without Women hoping it would have a large sale among the fairies and old Vassar Girls. —Hemingway, Ernest Millar

'Good-morning; good-morning!'the General said When we met him last weekon our way to the line. Now the soldiers he smiled at are most of 'em dead, And we're cursing his staff for incompetent swine. 'He's a cheery old card,'grunted Harry to Jack As they slogged up to Arras with rifle and pack. But he did for them both by his plan of attack. —Sassoon, Siegfried Louvain

Icall heavenand earthtorecord thisdayagainst you, that Ihaveset before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live. —Bible (Old Testament)

Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Dotha fountainsend forthatthesameplacesweet water and bitter? —Bible (NewTestament)

Browse dictionary entries near cursing

  1. ‹ cursed
  2. ‹ curse
  3. ‹ currying
  4. ‹ currycomb
  5. ‹ curry powder
  6. ‹ curry
  7. ‹ currishly
  8. ‹ currish
  9. ‹ currijong
  10. ‹ curries
  1. cursive ›
  2. cursor ›
  3. cursorial ›
  4. cursorily ›
  5. cursoriness ›
  6. cursory ›
  7. curst ›
  8. curt ›
  9. curtail ›
  10. curtailment ›